Sturgeon Season closes April 3 in John Day Pool

The recreational sturgeon season in the John Day Pool (John Day Dam to McNary Dam) and adjacent tributaries will close effective 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, April 3, under rules announced today by fishery managers from Oregon and Washington.

The states decided to close this fishery based on recent harvest data that indicated recreational fishermen have achieved their allowable harvest of 105 fish.

The Columbia River between The Dalles Dam and McNary Dam will now be closed to sturgeon retention; however, catch and release fishing continues to be allowed, except in the sturgeon spawning sanctuaries defined in the 2019 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations. Sturgeon retention currently remains open in the Bonneville Reservoir (Bonneville Dam upstream to The Dalles Dam), although fishermen are approaching their allowable harvest for the season of 500 fish.